Improvement in gathering-attachment for sewing-machines



J. CRANDELL.

- Sewing-Machine Gatherer.

No. 84,414. I PatentedNov. 24, 1868.

N. PETERS. Phola-lfllognpfm, Washinghm. D. C.

fillittil Stanza eteaa iii JOHN CRANDELL, OF CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS,ASS IGNOR TO LAMB KNITTING-MACHINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

Letters Patent No. 84,414, dated November 24, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN G-ATHERINQATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

, The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part ofthe 583118- GatheringAttachmcnt for Sewing-Machines; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon,

in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of said attachment; Figure 2 is an endelevation of the same; Figure 3 is a plan view, (reverse 3) and Figure 4is a side elevation.

. Said attachment is designed to be applied to the cloth-plate, socalled, of an ordinary sewing-machine, (either a shigle-tln'ead ordouble-thread machine,) and is so constructed that two pieces of clothcan be sewed together by the ordinary action of the sewing-machine, thelower of said pieces being gathered or rufiled by the action of theattachment co-operating with the-ac- 'ti'on of-thefeeding-device of themachine, the sewing together and the gathering being performed at thesame operation. The ordinary processes of gathering, ruffling, orpufling fabrics are thus rapidly and regularly performed, and the amountof gathering, or the relative length of the lower or rufiled cloth tothe upper or ungathered cloth, can be readily and accurately adjusted bythe operator.

The construction of my invention is as follows:

The attachment, as shown, consists of two plates of sheet-metal, of aconformation hereafter described, which are riveted or otherwise firmlyfastened together at one end, a screw, for regulating the distance ofthe upper-plate from the lower, a nut, in which such screw turns, andwhich is attached to the upper plate, and a projection, for the foot to,rest against. I

The form of the lower plate, I), is shown in fig. 3, and that of theupper plate in figs. 1 and 4.

Like the ordinary hemming-dcvices and gauges which are used uponsewing-machines, the united plates, a-

and b, have an ear, through which is the circular opening 71,- and athumb-screw, passing through 71, screws.

into a hole in the cloth-plate, provided with a femalescrew thread. Anear, y, also projects from the side of the lower plate, as an endbearing for the screw (1, and it also extends beyond the upper plate atthe end, as shown by the dotted line in fig. 3.

The upper plate projects beyond the lower one at the side at which thecloth leaves the attachment, as shown in the dotted lines in fig. 1.

The slot i in the lower'plate, and t] 1c elongated opening over it inthe upper plate allow the passage of the needle.

As the tendency ofthe moving cloth is to draw the attachment in thedirection in which the cloth is movmachine is raised.

ing, a projection, f, is formed upon the upper plate, at a right angleto the plate, the inner side of which bears against the end of thepresser-ioot, and acts as a stop, to prevent such sidcwise movement ofthe attachment.

A slight ridge is formed in the lower plate, extending from the slot inearly to the otheredge of the plate, and a corresponding recess orgroove in the upper plate. The ridge and groove are not, however,absolutely essential to the successful operation of the attachment.

As the plate a-is too thin to afford a proper bearing for the screw (1,I attach a nut, e, to the upper side of the plate, in which nut thescrew turns.

As the form of the sewing-machines produced by difierent manufacturersvaries, it will be necessary to vary the form of the ear, the length ofthe plates, and other details of form, to make the same applicable tothe various styles of machines, while the essential features of theinvention and the principle of its operation will remain the same.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The attachment is screwed to the cloth-plate of the sewing-machine towhich it is adapted, and a simple gauge is also attached, if desired,being fastened to the cloth-plate by the same screw. The strip of clothwhich is to be gathered, or is to make the ruffle, is, then placedbeneath the lower plate, so that the feed can come in contact with theunder surface of the cloth. The extension of the end of 7) beyond itaffords a means of lifting the lower plate, if necessary, so as to enterthe cloth between the cloth-plate and the under surface of I). The pieceof cloth to which the gathered piece is to be sewed is then insertedbetween the lower plate, b, and the plate (awhile-the presser-foot ofthe The latter is then allowed to rest upon the sin-face of the plate a.I

If the screw (1 is turned out, so that the end of it does not bearagainst the lower plate, the whole pressure of the presser-foot will beexerted upon the upper strip of cloth, and also upon the lower, althoughthe plates a and b intervene.

If the machine be started with such an adjustment of the screw 11, asdescribed, and the feeding-device of the machine be arranged to give thelongest feed possible, it is evident that, after one or two stitches aretaken, and the two pieces thus joined, the'action of that part of thefeed which is beneath the lower plate will be to press forward the lowerstrip of cloth beyond the path of the needle, while the progress of theupper strip will be retarded by the 'pressure of the plate a, which isheld firmly down by the presser-foot.

As the two pieces of cloth are joined by the first stitch taken, theupper piece will be forced to move forward as far as the gathered orwrinkled cloth below presses it forward. At this point the needledescends, and forms a stitch, thus securing the gathered portion to theupper piece, and, after it is withdrawn, the feed again carries forwardthe lower strip, and the upper piece is drawn on a limited distance, andthus the operation is continued.

With the screw cl turned out, as described, the progress of the upperstrip will be greatly retarded, and, therefore, the gathering of thelower strip will be much more than if the upper strip were allowed tomove forward more freely.

If the screw (1 be turned in, so as tobear against the lower plate, 12,the upper plate will be raised as the screw is turned, and thepresser-foot will be raised with it. By means of the screw d, therefore,more or less pressure can be made upon the upper strip, and its progressmore or less retarded.

When the upper plate is raised, so that it does not bear upon the upperstrip of cloth at all, the latter will, of course, move along as rapidlyas the lower cloth, and there will be no gathering of the lower strip.

It-will be seen, therefore, that the amount of gathering depends uponthe degree in which the progress of the upper cloth through the machineis retarded, and that this retardation can be regulated by turning thescrew 01. It will also be seen that, whatever may be. the position ofthe upper plate with regard to the lower, the pressure of thepresser-foot is constantly transmitted, through the screw 66, to thelower plate,

and that the under cloth is .always held down on the cloth-platethereby, so that the feed can act upon it.

Having described my invention,

\Vhat I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The within-described gathering-attachment; consisting of the platesu I),constructed in the manner explained and represented, provided with thescrew 01 and projection j; and adapted for operation in conj unctionwith the feed and presser-foot ofa sewing-machine,

and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 8th day ofJanuary, A. D. 1868.

JOHN GRANDELL.

\Vitnesses J. P. BUCKLAND, N. B. SMITH.

